Brewers move Joey Ortiz to shortstop from third base

Milwaukee Brewers infielder Joey Ortiz is moving from third base to shortstop. This change comes after Willy Adames left the team to join the San Francisco Giants. Adames signed a big contract for seven years worth $182 million. The Brewers had to decide how to fill the shortstop position. They considered Ortiz or Brice Turang, who currently plays second base. Manager Pat Murphy announced that Ortiz would take over at shortstop. This decision keeps Turang at second base, where he won an NL Platinum Glove award last season for being the best defensive player. Turang has been dealing with a shoulder issue recently, but an MRI showed no damage. He expects to be ready for the start of the season. Last year, Ortiz played mostly third base but has experience as a shortstop from his time in the minors with the Baltimore Orioles. He had a solid rookie season with a batting average of .239, hitting 11 home runs and driving in 60 runs. Turang also had a productive season, finishing with a .254 batting average, seven home runs, and 57 RBIs. The Brewers hope this new lineup will work well as they head into the 2025 season.